Living just
a 2-hour trip from Barcelona means I have seen plenty of this magnificent city
over the years. Having said that, though, most of my time there was in the
1990s, or specifically pre-kids, pre-mortgage, pre-2003. Since our kids were
born, I think we’ve only been twice as a family for “pleasure” – though we have
kept going to river Ebro campaigning activities and events related to the
independence of Catalonia! But, we now have other (economic) priorities!
However, much to my own surprise as well as everyone else’s, I organized a
(kid-less) weekend visit there recently as a birthday gift for my wife, Sílvia
–a much needed and well-deserved break.

We wanted
to get away from the tourist crowds we normally see when we do “the sights”,
but still booked a hotel right bang in the centre of the Rambles! The Hotel
Continental. Basically because (a) I hate searching and comparing all day on
internet and have a tendency to book the first half-decent thing I find, (b) it
has a “free” 24-hour buffet and bottomless beer barrel, and (c) Orwell stayed
there during the civil war –though I don’t think the bedrooms were pink back
then... it was a little over our budget, but carpe diem, as they say. I can
recommend it, though – perfect location (20 yards from Plaça Catalunya Metro
stop), nice enough rooms, great balconies and seating areas, interesting decor,
and the buffet and beer!

We did a
bit of shopping in the centre – records, books, looked at musical instruments
–and then had lunch at La Lluna restaurant, again slap bang in the centre of
Barcelona. A great place, really nice building with excellent staff, and good
wholesome “normal” food (none of these fancy inventions on square plates) with
decent quantities – plus they had many veggie options. Another recommendation
for you there!

We then
went to the “inland” part of Barcelona, the Gracia neighbourhood which is like
a different town, only two Metro stops away but rarely visited by tourists.
It’s well worth it, though, for the excellent small shops and bars and cafes,
and “normal life”. We spent ages in second hand and new bookshops and record
shops again and just wandering the streets. I also wanted to visit the Plaça
del Diamant square (20 years after my last visit) to see the statue of
Colometa, the suffering heroine of my favourite Catalan novel (more on that in
a later post). Don’t tell anyone I recommend this area of Barcelona as the
locals like to keep it tourist free, but believe me you won’t regret it! I’d
suggest avoiding the socks and sandals look so as to blend in better...

After that,
concert time! Yes, we relived our youth by going to one of those sweaty noisy
smelly beer-drenched concert halls where you stand up and get crushed from
start to finish (I got pins and needles standing up for 2 hours – hardly a
rock’n’roll ailment!). I’d got us tickets to see Kitty, Daisy and Lewis who
we’d never heard of, but judging by a couple of music videos I checked out, I
knew we’d love them – and we did. Two sisters and a brother, constantly
swapping instruments and mics around, gave us some good old-fashioned blues,
rock’n’roll and soul with a sound dose of black humour. Afterwards we bought
their album (on vinyl of course) on the way out and had our photos taken with
the band. A grand time!

Sunday
morning consisted of stuffing ourselves with a triple breakfast at the hotel
buffet, and then more street-wandering before ending up in a vintage clothes
fair where Sílvia purchased a couple of things and I got a free beer. Still
full, we skipped lunch, and then caught the coach back to our normal lives.

Photo of Sílvia taking a photo of the restaurant.

Blurred photo of Sílvia in the cool restaurant, La Lluna

Buskers in Gràcia

Yours truly with Colometa - the main character in my currently fave book

Hobbit-esque windows

Second-hand English language book shop in Gràcia

Groovy band kickin' some ass (does that sound suitable?)

Sílvia (on the right) with Daisy (on the left)

Interesting decor in our hotel

Shops close on Sundays in Barcelona -wandering colourful back streets

Experts in fashion say this is "vintage clothing"

More windows in Gràcia

How many cities have graffiti-pictures of authors? Merce Rodoreda, author of the Plaça del Diamant book I mentioned above.